California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Reviews

"I loved Cal Poly and I can't imagine getting a better undergraduate education anywhere else. Their learn by doing approach is evident in most coursework, but it wasn't until I was in grad school and working with people that went to other schools that I realized how much better prepared I was. Things I was especially thankful for: class sizes, the people, the location, the weather, the preparation for the real world."

"Great program, tons of clubs to get real design experience in, intermajor interaction is high."

"The chemistry department is wonderful. They are always willing to help and there are great opportunities to help get a head start on a career. The rest of the school is well off too, with most teachers being interested in their topic of choice."

"Cal Poly was a great school, especially for engineering and agriculture, but their liberal arts programs are pretty good too. Also an absolutely awesome location to go to school."

"Cal Poly is amazing! If you get in go!!! You will not regret it. Great school, fun town near the beach and overall just an amazing culture. These were the best 4 years of my life."

"Cal Poly is amazing! If you get in go!!! You will not regret it. Great school, fun town near the beach and overall just an amazing culture. These were the best 4 years of my life."

"Cal Poly is a great school in a great area. As an engineer, it is pretty tough, but you can still find the time to have a social life. There is a party scene if you want it, but you can avoid it without any trouble if you don't. If you want a job when you graduate, this is the place to be: just about everyone has at least one decent offer by the time they're done, but it may take you 5 or 6 years to actually graduate. If you want to go on for a PhD, this is probably not the best choice because there isn't a lot of research going on. The plus side of this is that the professors are focused on the undergraduates instead of their own research."

"There are a lot of resources available if you look a bit: teachers, friends, clubs, computer labs, department websites etc. Still, your greatest resource is motivation to do everything: plan ahead a bit, find friends in your major, get things done because it's all your responsibility. If you're struggling in a class, talk to the teacher, most of them are willing to show you how to improve."

"It was a good experience. The chem department is great, but the rest of the school is lacking. The food is horrible and the staff are worse. That being said, the oppurtunitiesavailable in the chem department outweighs these aspects."

"Cal Poly is a great, friendly learning community in a fun, student-oriented town with outstanding academic programs and high learning expectations."

"Cal Poly ensures that all grad students in the Biology department graduate with well-rounded knowledge of molecular, physiological, and ecological knowledge in biology. However, this also constitutes a large course load, especially when considering that each student has his or her own research project to work on, and the cost of living in the area requires many students to work on and off campus. However, graduates from the program are well equipped with marketable skills and knowledge."

"The program provides a lot of support (academic, professional, and personal). The faculty is great and the material is incredibly pertinent for the field. The workload can be heavy but it is manageable and purposeful. Some cons include that the campus itself doesn't have a dominant grad program (not a lot of services for graduate students) and there is not a lot of diversity for a public school."

"I love my program very much because you get connected right away with alumni from the program, internship opportunities, and the faculty are very accessible and helpful. I would recommend this program to anyone looking to enter a Student Affairs position. The school itself is not very supportive of graduate students and their needs, it's not very diverse at all despite it being a public school, and graduate students are still limited to the 20 hour work week when we clearly need more than that to live in the expensive community."

"The professors are extremely willing to help and ensure that their students are successful. The teachers that are accepting of student teachers are amazing mentors and the entire area around the school is beautiful."

"The faculty, the learning environment, and motivation of all involved in the program have made this journey a very valuable one. I have not only learned through instruction, but learned about myself, my peers, and my community. This program is more than a degree, it is an opportunity to improve the lives of many on an intimate level. It has been an exceptional experience, one filled with academic and personal challenges, but always with the best support system alongside me."

"The major pro of the graduate program is the 'hands-on' approach to the education. The intent of this is to provide real-world, practical, tangible knowledge to prepare the student body for the real-world demands of the industry. One possible con to consider about the graduate program is how small it is. While that can provide a more intimate experience (which can be good), there are a limited graduate student body available as peers to complete the program with."

"This program was exceptional. Student were held to high standards to demonstrate research ability and practitioner skills as a counselor. Extremely reputable program and supportive faculty."

"I love my graduate program. The faculty are amazing and very accessible. They are on top of the material and are experts in their field. I feel like the work is definitely manageable, but challenging like a grad program should be. The community is beautiful and a nice small town to focus on your studies. I do however feel like the school overall is lacking in diversity, and the places to live can be a bit costly. As a first generation, low income Latina, I think I was able to afford as much as I have because of the financial aid I have received. (Thank goodness for public schools)!"

"Cal poly pomona is a great school with beautiful campus. Has a amazing reputation among employers and when you mention you are studying or graduating from cal poly pomona, people really respect the school. Learning by doing is cal poly,s motto and they are truly doing it. Our faculty is always available to help students in their every aspects of their life, personal to professional. Parking is a little difficult but they have free shuttle program. I am really enjoying meeting diverse people from all over the world and learning from very knowledgable and caring professors."

"The grad program at Cal Poly is extremely challenging and also very achievable. The quality of instruction forces students to have a deep understanding of their field of study. I love the department and love that the faculty and staff are always available to help out."